rather

de préférence, plutôt

Avec would, indique qu’on préfère une possibilité à une autre.

En anglais simple : Used with would to say what you want more than another choice.

• I would rather walk.
• Would you rather have tea or coffee?
• He would rather not discuss it today.

Comment l'utiliser : would rather + base verb (I would rather walk home.); would rather do A than do B (She would rather cook than order food.); would rather someone + past tense (I would rather you stayed here.)

Synonymes : preferably

Expressions courantes : would rather go, would rather not, rather than walk, would rather stay

assez, plutôt

À un degré assez élevé, souvent plus que prévu.

En anglais simple : To a fairly large degree, often more than expected.

• It is rather cold.
• She looked rather tired after work.
• That turned out to be rather an expensive meal.

Comment l'utiliser : rather + adjective/adverb (The train arrived rather late.); rather a/an + adjective + noun (It was rather a strange evening.)

Synonymes : quite, fairly, somewhat

Expressions courantes : rather cold, rather difficult, rather a lot, rather expensive

plutôt que, au lieu de

Avec «than», indique qu’une chose est faite ou choisie à la place d’une autre.

En anglais simple : Used with than to show that one thing happens or is chosen instead of another.

• Use oil rather than butter.
• She called rather than sending a message.
• Rather than wait, we went home.

Comment l'utiliser : rather than + noun/-ing/base verb (We walked rather than taking a taxi.)

Synonymes : instead

Expressions courantes : rather than something, rather than wait, rather than driving

plus exactement, plutôt

Après «or», sert à corriger ce qu’on vient de dire ou à le préciser.

En anglais simple : Used after or to correct what you just said or make it more exact.

• It was red, or rather dark pink.
• We arrived yesterday, or rather early this morning.
• She smiled, or rather tried to smile.

Comment l'utiliser : or rather + correction (He is my uncle, or rather my great-uncle.)

Synonymes : more precisely, more accurately

Expressions courantes : or rather, or rather something

au contraire, plutôt

Introduit une idée qui remplace ou contredit ce qui a été dit avant.

En anglais simple : Used to introduce a statement that replaces or goes against a previous statement.

• He was not angry; rather, he was confused.
• The plan did not reduce costs; rather, it increased them.
• She did not ignore the problem; rather, she addressed it directly.

Synonymes : instead, on the contrary

Expressions courantes : rather it is, rather we should

Bien sûr !, Et comment !

Exprime un accord très ferme ou beaucoup d’enthousiasme.

En anglais simple : Used to show that you strongly agree or feel very positive about something.

• “Did you enjoy dinner?” “Rather!”
• “Would you like another game?” “Oh, rather!”
• “Was the concert good?” “Rather! I loved it.”

Synonymes : certainly, absolutely, definitely

Contraires : no

Expressions courantes : oh rather, rather indeed